


Anniversary

by arcticfrostdoesthings



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:42:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27267412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcticfrostdoesthings/pseuds/arcticfrostdoesthings
Summary: It’s the anniversary of Cayde’s death, and Artemis is absolutely fine. Probably.





	Anniversary

“Hey, are you alright?” 

Artemis jumped at the sudden noise and accidentally fired an arrow at a wall, scaring one of the Spider’s Fallen. She nocked another arrow in her bow as Virgil materialized next to her.

“I am perfectly fine,” she said, firing an arrow at a raider that had noticed her. “Why do you ask?”

Virgil spun his shell and sighed impatiently. “I asked because we’ve been here in the Tangled Shore shooting Scorn for the past-” he made a whirring sound as he calculated. “-twelve and a half hours.”

She scoffed. “So? It’s my day off. I can do what I want.”

Virgil sighed again. “Usually our free days consist of Crucible matches or eating ramen with Wren-6 that you inevitably throw up because you ate too much.” he paused. “Can we go hang out with Wren? Maybe seeing him will make you feel better.”

“I told you, I’m  _ fine, _ ” she growled. “I just… really don’t want to talk to people. Not today.”

She didn’t think she could stand the looks, the whispers, the  _ pity _ . She’d been asked countless times about what had happened at the Watchtower, and she didn’t think she could handle it. Not today.

She didn’t admit any of this out loud, though Virgil could probably guess. He knew her better than anyone else. He could guess what she was thinking just by looking at her.

Sometimes, Artemis wished he wasn’t so damn good at it.

“It doesn’t sound like you’re fine.” he took a deep breath. “Alright, you don’t have to talk to anyone, but can we at least get out of the reef? It’s only going to bring up bad memories.”

He was right about that. They weren’t far from the ridge where she had seen the barons for the first time. The Watchtower stood in the distance, looking miniscule, though she knew how huge and grand it was. And though she couldn’t see it from here, she knew the structure where she had killed Riven was somewhere near the Watchtower.

She looked away, feeling sick.

“No, I’m staying here,” she said, shaking her head. “Everybody else would want to offer condolences or try to start a conversation about him or  _ something _ .” she lowered her bow, suddenly feeling very tired. “That’s what happened last year. I know they mean well, but I don’t think I can take any more of it today. At least the Spider doesn’t ask questions.”

Virgil looked at Artemis, then her bow, then out at the field where the Scorn hid. The field was littered with dead Scorn bodies that were slowly dissolving into corrupted ether.

Virgil looked back up at her. “Fine, then take a break.”

“A what?”

“You know, a break! It’s where you stop working and-”

“No, I know what a break is,” Artemis interrupted. “But you want me to take one right  _ now? _ ”

Virgil bobbed up and down in a nod. “Need I remind you that you’ve been doing this for twelve hours straight? Even you can’t keep this up for much longer. I’m not taking no for an answer, Artemis.”

She had to admit that he had a point. Her arms ached from holding her bow and her legs burned from crouching for so long. She hadn’t even realized how lightheaded she was feeling from the heat.

“You have a point,” she admitted, reluctantly slinging her bow across her back. “The Scorn here are mostly dead anyway.”

Virgil regarded her with his single, unblinking eye. “Artemis, you barely touched any of the Fallen or Hive on your way here. Do you… hold a grudge?”

Artemis clenched her fists. She had been afraid of this question. “Of course I hold a grudge!” Virgil flinched at the sudden outburst. “They- they killed my best friend.” 

She stopped talking when she felt her throat close up. She was not going to cry. Enough tears had been shed about this already.

“Come on,” she said, standing up suddenly. Virgil stared up at her, wide-eyed. “Transmat us back to the ship. I’ve had enough of the Shore for today.” She looked back at him as he stayed silent. “Well?”

Virgil glanced at her worriedly. “Artemis, you know you can talk to me, right? I promise I won’t judge you or anything, I just… want you to be okay.”

Artemis suddenly felt guilty for making him worry. “Yeah. Yeah, I know that. I’m sorry for worrying you.” she held out her hand and Virgil settled into her palm, spinning his shell happily. 

“You don’t need to apologize,” he said. “I’m your ghost, it’s sort of my job to make sure you’re doing alright.”

“Thanks, Virgil.” She smiled, though she knew he couldn’t see her expression from under her helmet. “Let’s go. Maybe I’ll see if Wren wants to get ramen later.”


End file.
